


and this vast night

by erlkoenig



Series: Terrifying Tolkien Week 2017 [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: All Shall Fade, Gen, Non-canon Character Death, Referenced suicide, Terrifying Tolkien Week, canon character death, mild body horror, third age canon divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 12:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12507696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erlkoenig/pseuds/erlkoenig
Summary: “They’re all leaving,” he says, voice cracked and rasping from disuse. “I suppose we are the only ones left now, just like before.”Makalaurë talks to his brother.





	and this vast night

**Author's Note:**

> day one: all shall fade

“They’re all leaving,” he says, voice cracked and rasping from disuse. “I suppose we are the only ones left now, just like before.”

His brother says nothing. he never does. Stands always just out of sight, always at the corner of his vision. Pale, cold, silent, moving only when he turns to look but ever there. 

“Nelyo, say something,” he begs, habit now more than anything. He’s begged for far too many years and it’s not fair. He’s stayed here for him all this time, stayed with him when no one else would. “The least you could do now is–” the words stick in his throat, dry and itching, “say something.”

He combs his fingers through his hair, matted and filthy, they catch on tangled and he feels the strands tear and give at the root. Runs his tongue over what teeth remain and chews his cracked lips. “What do we do now?”

Nelyo would know, Nelyo always had a plan. 

The wind carries a sigh to him and his eyes burn with tears he did not know he still still had, turns his head quickly to look where Nelyo should be but there is nothing there. There never is. behind him, the waves crash against the shore and Makalaurë thinks for a moment that he can hear him there, wading into the water.

His lips twitch, pull into a frown and there’s some distant lingering doubt, something that almost whispers that he’s wrong but he stands on shaky legs and follows. The stars are veiled tonight, there is no moon to light the sky. Everything is faded, dark, save for the grey foam of the water. He narrows his eyes, searching for Maitimo in the waves. His brother would know better than to go too far, it is too dangerous tonight unless–

“Nelyo!” He cries, stumbling in the soft wet sand as he rushes to the water, “Nelyo leave it! It is over, let it lay there!”

Deeper and deeper into the water, it is so cold, so very cold. His limbs are heavy, slow in the frigid waves that try to carry him back to the shore but he can taste ash in his mouth the farther he goes. He thinks to call for him again but there is salt in his eyes (or is it cinders?) and a far away memory of fire where the name dies on his lips. His feet cannot touch the bottom anymore and he is carried away from the shore. He turns, arms flailing weak and useless as the water rushes around him and in the dark he can see him, finally, standing on the shore.

 _Help me, save me_ , but even from here he can see blackened skin, can smell burning hair and he closes his eyes, lets himself drift.

**Author's Note:**

> nelyafinwes.tumblr.com


End file.
